Waycross and Ware County Development Authority

What Waycross and Ware County Development Authority does

The Waycross and Ware County Development Authority (WWDA) is a government-affiliated economic development organization headquartered at 2855 Forest Drive, Waycross, Georgia, serving as the official recruitment and site-selection gateway for businesses evaluating the Okefenokee region of southeast Georgia. Its core offerings are free site-selection and property-search services, regional demographic and labor-force business intelligence (including GIS mapping, consumer expenditure, and occupation data), coordination of no-cost workforce training through Georgia's Quick Start program and Coastal Pines Technical College, and guidance on Georgia state tax and incentive programs.

WWDA does not develop, sell, or license technology products. Its value proposition rests on the geographic infrastructure of the region — specifically CSX Transportation's largest and most productive automated classification facility located in Waycross, the 1,051-acre three-runway Waycross-Ware County Airport, interstate highway access, and proximity to Georgia's deep water ports in Savannah and Brunswick — supplemented by utilities coverage from Georgia Power, three regional EMCs, Atlanta Gas Light, City of Waycross Water & Sewer, and Satilla Water & Sewer Authority.

Because WWDA is a public development authority, its services are provided free of charge to qualifying businesses and there is no disclosed revenue model, pricing structure, or commercial contract. The organization reaches prospective clients through its website (wwda.us) and active profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram, and operates through formal coordination with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Georgia Quick Start, Coastal Pines Technical College, South Georgia State College, and Ware County High School.

Name

Waycross and Ware County Development Authority

Legal name

Waycross and Ware County Development Authority

Website

https://wwda.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Waycross and Ware County Development Authority is a public economic development organization that provides free site selection, workforce training coordination, and regional business intelligence to companies evaluating relocation or expansion to Waycross and Ware County in southeast Georgia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (92615), Other Activities Related to Real Estate (531390)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Land & Development Site Brokerage (BPAJABAG), Transitional/Development Land Brokerage (Entitled, In-Path-of-Growth) (BPAJADAJ)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Site selection assistance
• Workforce training coordination
• Regional business intelligence
• Incentive guidance

Headquarters

HQ city

Waycross

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Waycross and Ware County Development Authority delivers free economic development services to businesses evaluating or expanding in southeast Georgia. Core offerings include site/property search and analysis, community demographic and labor force data, workforce training coordination via Georgia Quick Start and Coastal Pines Technical College, transportation and utilities infrastructure information, and tax/incentive guidance. The Authority operates as a public-sector intermediary rather than a commercial vendor.

Product overview

Waycross and Ware County Development Authority operates as an economic development organization providing a portfolio of site selection, workforce training, and regional business intelligence services. The core offerings include property and community search tools for businesses, comprehensive demographic and labor force data, connections to Georgia's Quick Start workforce training program and technical colleges, transportation and utilities infrastructure information, and tax/incentive guidance. The organization serves as the primary point of contact for businesses looking to establish or expand operations in the Okefenokee area of southeast Georgia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Site Selection Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50 years of workforce training experience through Georgia's Quick Start program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Waycross-Ware County AirportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Airport sits on 1,051 acres and boasts 3 asphalt runways with full service staff to accommodate any fueling or service needs. Serves as critical transportation infrastructure for business operations in the region.
• CSX RailcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSX Transportation's largest and most productive automated classification facility is located in Waycross, Georgia. Provides significant freight and logistics advantages for businesses locating in the area.
• Georgia PortscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeorgia's deep water ports in Savannah and Brunswick continue to grow in importance as major transportation hubs. Provides businesses with access to international shipping and trade capabilities.
• Georgia PowercoreTechnology or IntegrationInvestor-owned, tax-paying utility serving 2.35 million customers in all but 4 of Georgia's 159 counties. The largest of four electric utilities that make up Southern Company, Georgia Power has been providing electricity to Georgia for more than a century at rates well below the national average.
• Georgia EMC (Satilla, Slash Pine, and Okefenoke EMCs)coreTechnology or IntegrationThree Electric Membership Cooperatives serving commercial, industrial and residential customers in southeast Georgia depending on location. All three have offices in the region.
• City of Waycross (Water and Sewer)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides water and sewer services to locations inside the City Limits of Waycross, including many of the industrial sites within the Airport Industrial Park.
• Satilla Water & Sewer AuthoritycoreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of safe and reliable water service to a 220 square mile service area that encompasses unincorporated areas of Ware and Brantley Counties. These services can range from 2-12 inch pipes and connect to over 6,488 connections and meters. Satilla has served more than 3,100 sewer customers.
• Georgia Department of Economic DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState economic development agency that coordinates with the WWDA to provide resources and incentives for businesses locating in Waycross and Ware County.
• Georgia Quick Start ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWith over 50 years of experience, Georgia's Quick Start program has proven to be one of Georgia's best assets for new business. Creates needed training for organizations at no cost. Delivers training in many different settings including mobile labs, on the plant floor, and traditional classrooms.
• Coastal Pines Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated in Waycross, Georgia, offers over 30 different programs teaching hands-on skills that meet local employers' needs at a low-cost option, with over 95 percent of graduates passing their required licensure exams. Recently received the Sonny Perdue Award for the 2017 Technical College of the Year.
• South Georgia State CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated in 2013 by the Georgia Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia through the merging of two colleges. The Waycross campus boasts 150 acres of wooded land featuring three academic buildings, lakes, and a walking trail. Currently offers three Bachelor programs and over 20 transferrable Associates Programs.
• Ware County High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducates over 1400 students in grades 9-12 with CTAE classes (Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education) including Business and Technology, Marketing, Engineering, Agriculture, Healthcare, Culinary Arts. Work-Based Program allows students to gain on-site work experience in the community.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Brunswick-Glynn County Development Authority: Coastal Georgia development authority that serves the Port of Brunswick and Glynn County. Directly comparable in function and regional scope, often referenced alongside Waycross for port-related recruitment.
• Savannah Economic Development Authority: County/regional-level economic development authority in coastal Georgia that recruits industrial and logistics tenants. Directly comparable as a Georgia peer that also markets port-adjacent multimodal infrastructure to relocating businesses.
• Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission: Southwest Georgia economic development organization serving Albany and Dougherty County. Directly comparable in scale, rural-industrial orientation, and reliance on Quick Start workforce training.
• Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority: South Georgia development authority providing site selection and business recruitment for Valdosta-Lowndes County. Closely comparable in scale, southern Georgia geography, and rural-industrial target mix.
• Augusta Economic Development Authority: Regional Georgia development authority focused on industrial and advanced manufacturing recruitment. Comparable in operating model, free-service delivery, and emphasis on workforce and infrastructure advantages.
• Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority: Georgia development authority serving the Macon-Bibb region. Comparable peer offering site selection, tax incentives, and workforce coordination for industrial and logistics employers.

Broad incumbents

• Georgia Department of Economic Development: State-level economic development agency that the Waycross-Ware County Authority directly partners with. Functions as the broader incumbent that sets statewide incentives and coordinates regional authorities.

Regional players

• Coastal Regional Commission of Georgia: Regional planning and economic development coordination body serving Georgia's coastal counties including Ware. Adjacent regional peer that supports site readiness and infrastructure planning for member counties.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wwdawayscross
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100081976135422
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bskp
• Instagraminstagram.com/waycrosswarecountydevelopment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waycross and Ware County Development Authority